Lifting mechanism and health care equipment that incorporates the lifting mechanism

Abstract

Disclosed is a mechanism for raising and lowering a patient support including a base having two spaced posts extending upwardly, a sliding sleeve on each base post and a cross member fixed to and extending between the sleeves. An actuator is located between the base and the cross member to move the cross member vertically with respect to the base. A horizontal member located above the cross member is slidingly moveable with respect to the sleeves and includes guides to capture the sleeves. A pulley is provided on the cross member and supports a chain or belt, fixed to the base at a first end and at the other end to the horizontal support. As the actuator raises and lowers the cross member, the upper support is raised and lowered at a greater speed. On the base is a reversible fold down pole to assist the patient in raising and lowering themselves.

1. A height adjustable bed comprising:
 (a) a first bed end and a second bed end, each bed end comprising a lifting mechanism, wherein said lifting mechanism comprises:
 (i) a base to which at least two spaced base posts are mounted to extend upwardly; 
 (ii) a sleeve slidable on each base post; 
 (iii) a cross member extending between and fixed directly to the sleeves; 
 (iv) an actuator located between the base and the cross member and adapted to vertically move the cross member relative to the base; 
 (v) an upper support member for an object to be lifted slidingly movable along the sleeves; and 
 (vi) a pulley provided on the cross member, the pulley supporting a chain or belt fixed at a first end to the base and at the other end to the upper support member so that, in use, as the actuator raises and lowers the cross member, the upper support member is respectively raised or lowered at a greater speed than the cross member; and 
 
 (b) a mattress support provided between the first and second bed ends and mounted to each upper support member of each lifting mechanism of the first and second bed ends, wherein the mattress support is vertically movable relative to the first and second bed ends. 
 
   
   
     2. The height adjustable bed defined in  claim 1  wherein the sleeves include channels and the upper support member includes guides that are received in the channels for sliding movement along the sleeves. 
   
   
     3. The height adjustable bed defined in  claim 1  wherein the sleeves are captured in guides located on the upper support member. 
   
   
     4. The height adjustable bed defined in  claim 1  wherein the lifting mechanism further comprises a lower support member for an object mounted to and movable with the sleeves so that, in use, as the actuator raises and lowers the cross member, the lower support member is respectively raised or lowered at the same speed as the cross member. 
   
   
     5. The height adjustable bed defined in  claim 1  wherein the lifting mechanism includes wheels to allow the lifting mechanism to be moved from one location to another location. 
   
   
     6. A height-adjustable bed that includes a pair of lifting mechanisms comprising:
 (a) a first bed end and a second bed end, each bed end comprising one of said pair of lifting mechanisms, wherein each of the lifting mechanisms comprises:
 (i) a base to which at least two spaced base posts are mounted to extend upwardly; 
 (ii) a sleeve slidable on each base post; 
 (iii) a cross member extending between and fixed directly to the sleeves; 
 (iv) an actuator located between the base and the cross member and adapted to vertically move the cross member relative to the base; 
 (v) an upper support member slidingly movable along the sleeves; and 
 (vi) a pulley provided on the cross member, the pulley supporting a chain or belt fixed at a first end to the base and at the other end to the upper support member so that, in use, as the actuator raises and lowers the cross member the upper support member is respectively raised or lowered at a speed that is twice the speed of the cross member; and 
 
 (b) a mattress support provided between the first and second bed ends and mounted to each upper support member of each lifting mechanism of the first and second bed ends, wherein the mattress support is vertically movable relative to the first and second bed ends. 
 
   
   
     7. A height-adjustable bed defined in  claim 6  wherein the sleeves include channels and the upper support member includes guides that are received in the channels for sliding movement along the sleeves. 
   
   
     8. A height-adjustable bed defined in  claim 6  wherein the sleeves are captured in guides located on the upper support member. 
   
   
     9. A height-adjustable bed defined in  claim 6  wherein the lifting mechanism further comprises a lower support member mounted to and movable with the sleeves so that, in use, as the actuator raises and lowers the cross member, the lower support member is respectively raised or lowered at the same speed as the cross member. 
   
   
     10. A height-adjustable bed defined in  claim 9  wherein the upper support member is adapted to be attached to a primary patient support. 
   
   
     11. A height-adjustable bed defined in  claim 10  wherein the patient support to which the upper support member is attached is a primary support for a patient. 
   
   
     12. A height-adjustable bed defined in  claim 10  wherein the lower support member is adapted to be attached to a secondary patient support. 
   
   
     13. A height-adjustable bed defined in  claim 6  wherein the secondary patient support is a lower bed support frame which adds stability to the bed by creating a box frame with the primary support and the lifting mechanisms at each end of the bed. 
   
   
     14. A height-adjustable bed defined in  claim 13  wherein the primary and secondary patient supports are parallel. 
   
   
     15. A height-adjustable bed defined in  claim 6  wherein the lifting mechanism ends of the bed are preferably independently operable such that one lifting mechanism may be raised to a different height to the lifting mechanism at the other end of the bed.